Wetherill Nature Preserve
Length: About a mile. A map at the entrance shows the trails. Keep to the right to cover most of the trails and return to the entrance.
Level of difficulty: Flat-to-moderate, paved and well-drained gravel path.
Setting: Tucked at the south end of Lake Washington's Cozy Cove, just north of Highway 520, lies a 16-acre plot of land donated to the public in 1988 by the two granddaughters of Seattle pioneer Jacob Furth. The family's summer home was here, and in 1916-17, when Lake Washington was lowered almost nine feet to create the Lake Washington Ship Canal, the property was expanded to include additional land along its waterfront. This fertile bottomland was leased from the 1920s into the 1940s for farming by the Saiki family.
Highlights: After the forced internment of local Japanese Americans during World War II, the abandoned strawberry and vegetable fields became a sheep pasture and were later replaced by woods. Many trees and shrubs in the reserve are labeled; extensive plant and animal lists are on the back of the entrance kiosk. Although conifers grow in the higher parts of the reserve, note that only deciduous trees grow in the damp soil near the lake, which was under water until 1916.
Facilities: Restrooms at Hunts Point town hall during business hours.
Restrictions: No pets, bikes or jogging.
Directions: From Highway 520 heading west, take the 92nd Avenue Northeast exit (last exit before the 520 bridge). At the end of the exit ramp, either park across the street at the bus stop, or turn left on 92nd Avenue Northeast, turn right on Points Drive Northeast, turn right on 84th Avenue Northeast, and turn right on Hunts Point Drive to park at the town hall. Heading east on Highway 520, take the first exit after the 520 bridge, turn left on 84th Avenue Northeast, and follow as above. To reach the preserve, follow the paved Fairweather trail.
For more information: 425-455-1834 or 425-454-6994
Cathy McDonald is coauthor with Stephen Whitney of "Nature Walks In and Around Seattle," with photographs by James Hendrickson (The Mountaineers, second edition, 1997).